The invention relates to a forming device for thermoforming components provided in particular as thermoformable semi-finished products, in particular in the form of plate-shaped or panel-shaped plastic materials, mineral materials or the like, that are configured such that bathtubs, shower bases, kitchen sinks, bathroom sinks, vanities, cover panels, face plates, furniture parts, counter tops, or similar products can be produced from them. The forming device comprises in the area of a machine frame a forming apparatus, preferably comprising a vacuum membrane press, and a support which is heatable in a position of use on the machine frame for preheating the semi-finished products and is in particular in the form of a movable drawer that, for removing the preheated semi-finished products, can be moved into a removal position that is at least partially adjacent to the machine frame.
In connection with a vacuum deep drawing method according to U.S. Pat. No. 3,146,143, a device is known in which the workpieces are applied onto a support material in a closable chamber that can be evacuated. DE 297 13 665 U1 discloses a device for thermoforming of plastic films wherein the device comprises a heating device by means of which during forming the plastic film can be heated. In the vacuum forming method according to U.S. Pat. No. 3,319,295, a film is softened by heating and is shaped in the heated state.
EP 0 450 482 A2 discloses a combined device in which a heating station with two heating plates is provided. Prior to a forming process in the area of the heating station, the components that are present as semi-finished products are received in an additional forming station and are pressed by an upper mold and a lower mold. Based on this method with an additional forming station, in a construction according to US 2004/0076706 A1 it is provided that the forming station embodied as a heating device with two plate-shaped heating elements for preheating the material to be formed is arranged below the vacuum forming device. Accordingly, the system that is disclosed in EP 0 450 482 A2 and comprises two adjacently positioned devices is now combined on one machine frame. Here, the plate-shaped heating elements for preheating are combined with a drawer. In the area of the drawer, an open system is formed in which non-uniform heating of the semi-finished products located between the heating plates may occur.
The invention concerns the problem of providing a forming device for thermoforming of components which, in the area of a support with a heating zone, provided for receiving the semi-finished products that are prepared for processing, provides an energy-saving preheating with improved heating power, wherein, in this context, the useable space that is available in the area of the support enables receiving size-variable semi-finished products in uniformly heatable heating zones.